been brought to my attention. Let me then be supplied for the men now in the field and for those that I will soon have in addition. I will only add that the principal object I haven writing this letter is to get arms.

4th. I applies for bounty money for 1,000 men; it was allowed, but only $25,000 has been sent to me. That has been paid out. My promise is made that the men shall be paid their bounty when mustered in, and those we are now getting are of a class who need it, and I feel anxious that they should not be disappointed. I would therefore earnestly request that the remaining $25,000 should be sent forward; and that an additional estimate, now being made, should be allowed and forwarded to me as soon as practicable.

5th. I will get into the service every man in my district if you will only enable me to comply promptly with the inducements I hold out to them and arm them when mustered into the service. In this connection let me say that it is a useless expense to keep up the conscript camp in this district unless it is placed under the absolute control of the commanding officer of the district; it is both unnecessary and embarrassing. I do hope and trust that Colonel Moyers will either be placed under my command or removed from my district. An independent military organization in another command won't do.

In writhing this unofficial letter I have been governed by no other feeling than an earnest desire to advance the public service. I am fully aware that matters of far greater importance occupy your attention; yet I cannot but feel that the comparatively small interest confided to my care should receive all the care and effort that I am capable of making, and I am therefore emboldened by your past kindness to again trespass upon your time.

With sentiments of high and sincere regard, very respectfully and truly, yours, &c.,

HOWELL COBB,

Brigadier-General, Commanding District.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
Georgetown, April 29, 1863.

Captain W. F. NANCE,

Assistant Adjutant-General:

CAPTAIN: I have just returned from Murray's Inlet, and find Special Orders, Numbers 89, from department headquarters, dated April 23, 1863, in which Major Emanuel and the four companies under his command are relieved from duty in this district and ordered to report to their regiment. I have ordered Major Emanuel to hold himself in readiness to move, but have taken the responsibility of delaying him a few days until I hear from the commanding general after making the following representations:

1st. On the morning of the 27th, the enemy having discovered that Murray's Inlet was a port of entry and that there were then in the port five schooners which had run the blockade, together with a lot of cotton, they sent two of their vessels and shelled the place all day, and did land a number of men on a little island opposite and out of reach of our rifles, and burned one of the vessels. I have every reason to suppose they will return very soon to destroy the others. I therefore have concentrated all the force (consisting principally of the Rutledge Cav-